Hagel’s Path

JOE SCARBOROUGH: Chuck Hagel is a return to traditional Republican foreign policy, which is a constrained, realist, Bush 41, Colin Powell foreign policy and that’s very frightening to people like Lindsey Graham.

MARK HALPERIN: Look, and all odds are that he will be confirmed. It could be rough and it could be tough. To me, the big issue, and I assume he’ll be confirmed, is can the White House organize and get this done in a way, starting with the announcement today, which I’m told will be a 1 o’clock at the White House, through his courtesy calls to Capitol Hill, through his confirmation hearings, so he emerges as a Secretary of Defense who can actually work with Republicans on Capitol Hill because he’ll have to deal with the House as well to do all the things he needs to do. Wind down the War in Afghanistan; cut the Pentagon budget in a way that protects our security; deal with Iran; deal with the Middle East. He’s going to have a big job to do. He’s an impressive guy, as Mika said. He’s got tons of support, as Andrea said. But he does have detractors who he’s going to have to win over.